She was last seen at about 9:10 pm that night at a gas station on the north end of town, merely 100 yards from her home. State Rep. Eddy Dempsey, a Republican who represents the area in the Oklahoma House, said the recorded comments don't reflect the values of his constituents and echoed Stitt's call for the four people involved in the conversation to resign. Amazon. A portion of the recording was released by the paper, and it also appears to capture one of the four making racist comments about Black people. A McCurtain County, Okla., newspaper released an audio recording where county officials including the sheriff are allegedly heard discussing killing journalists, lynching Black people and hiring hitmen. Mar 22nd. Clardy responds, "I've got an excavator.". Throughout the 1980s, multiple journalists of ethnic publications were murdered for their coverage. Saturday night invites local rock bands to the stage, including Angelus Errare, Stay Awhile, Union Goons, We the Few, YOTP and Hell's Half Acre. None of the four returned telephone calls or emails from The Associated Press on Monday seeking comment. Oklahoma County had 12.5 homicides per 100,000 from 1992 to 2001, and Tulsa County had 8.2. Will Carpenter is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle's Arts and Entertainment/Features Reporter. 1, in firearm-related injuries and homicides," said Sue Mallonee, the Health Department's longtime chief of injury prevention. Lori Longchase, Missing from Arizona since 1983. Updated: Sep 19, 2019 / 07:00 PM CDT. Girl, 2, Last Seen 'Asleep or Unconscious' Being Carried by Mom from Drug House Is Likely Dead: Police, Oklahoma Mom of 2 Young Children Killed by Husband in Murder-Suicide: 'She Was a Great Mother', Missing Okla. A Los Angeles citizen-reporter named James Edwin Richards was shot in his driveway for his local crime reporting, with the Los Angeles Police Department reporting that "Mr. Richards had received threats from local gang members, and his property was often vandalized prior to his murder.". Mar 23rd. Bruce Willingham, the longtime publisher of the McCurtain Gazette-News, said the recording was made March 6 when he left a voice-activated recorder inside the room after a county commissioner's meeting because he suspected the group was continuing to conduct county business after the meeting had ended in violation of the state's Open Meeting Act. I talked on two different occasions to our attorneys to make sure I wasn't doing anything illegal, Bruce Willingham said. Deputies say they have a person of interest but have not released the person's name. 2023 www.oklahoman.com. The state average was 24.4 firearms-related injuries per 100,000 population. But the numbers for Cimarron and Jefferson counties appear inflated by a suicide rate where those counties stand first and second. But there's also the matter of this same group conspiring genuine or otherwise to kill two of the journalists employed at the small, family newspaper headquartered in Idabel, Oklahoma, a town that lies geographically nearer to Little Rock and Dallas, and is just over an hour drive from Texarkana. The co-founder and editor of The State newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, Narciso Gender Gonzales, was shot and killed by then-state Lt. Gov. ]", Jennings says he knows where two "big deep holes" are if "you ever need them." Mullendore died Wednesday night. "Yeah. I'm gonna tell you something. Okla. According to the McCurtain Gazette-News, Stoewe ran inside her home while it was engulfed in flames in an attempt to rescue her pets. I had the pleasure of visiting the Newseum in Washington, D.C., before it closed in 2019, which has since been purchased by Johns Hopkins University to become classrooms, offices and event spaces because I'm sure D.C. needs more of those. A homicide is a killing and can be either intentional, such as murder, or unintentional, such as manslaughter. In McCurtain County, a $5,000 reward is being offered for help solving Crystal Kindrick's disappearance. McCurtain is a distant 27th in the state. KANSAS: In 1970, 12-year-old Kelly Lynn Albright went missing and was found dead in a field in Reno County. "Not this day and age. Last September, an investigative reporter for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Jeff German, was stabbed to death outside of his home. ", In a statement, U.S. Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma said, "The recorded comments from community leaders in McCurtain County are reprehensible and embarrassing for the county and our state. Tickets should be still available at the door. One Site. One Database In Oklahoma alone, there are over 700 people missing; over 100 unidentified; and over 1,000 homicide cases that are unsolved. Here at Oklahoma Cold Cases we do our best to share the stories of these victims. According to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Allen Shaw, 89, and Randy Sander, 65, have been charged with Second Degree Murder and Arson in connection to Stoewe's death. "And then the medical examiner asked her, said, 'Hey we're fixing to go eat.' The state average was 7.8. According to the McCurtain Gazette-News, the conversation later turned to Bruce and Chris Willingham, a father-and-son reporter duo from the paper. McCurtain County has a population of about 34,800. WebFive homicide cases from 2020 remain unsolved, placing the homicide units clearance rate at about 94%, a few percentage points lower than last year. The McCurtain County Sheriff's Office and Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case. Tupac Shakur. The horrible comments are not who we are as Oklahomans. The state's overall per capita income for 2001 was $25,575. "I know that other than Oklahoma City and Tulsa, my district is right up there.". April 17, 2023, 1:40 PM OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma's governor is seeking the resignation of four county officials after a newspaper's audio recording apparently captured some of them complaining about two of the paper's journalists and knowing hit men and where two holes are dug. I'll save those comments for you to research yourself. All rights reserved. WebUncovereds website is home to unsolved homicides, such as the 1996 murder of Jody LeCornu, the 2019 murder o f Najah Ferrell, and the 2017 double-murder of Abigail Senat said under Oklahoma law, the recording would be legal if it were obtained in a place where the officials being recorded did not have a reasonable expectation of privacy. A McCurtain County man is in jail accused of first-degree murder after police say a man was killed and his body hidden. Perhaps the most important piece was the memorial section a display of hundreds of journalists who had been killed while on assignment worldwide. Mar 23rd Morrison John Doe, Discovered in Colorado in 1977. WebUP McCurtain County - Oklahoma Cold Cases Oklahoma Cold Cases Broken Bow John Doe 1983 Bethel John Doe 1989 All Rights Reserved Oklahoma Cold Cases Inc. Is a Copyright 2015 KSLA. Bruce Willingham said he believes the local officials were upset about stories we've run that cast the sheriff's office in an unfavorable light, including the death of Bobby Barrick, a Broken Bow, Oklahoma, man who died at a hospital in March 2022 after McCurtain County deputies shot him with a stun gun. First, there's the content of everything that the members of the McCurtain County Sheriff's Office and McCurtain County Board of County Commissioners discussed during an illegal meeting a stretch of audio that McCurtain County is in far southeast Oklahoma, bordering both Arkansas and Texas, in a part of the state often referred to as Little Dixie, because of the influence in the area from white Southerners who migrated there after the Civil War. "They bring no [inaudible. And he looked her in the face and said, 'You wanna go with me and go eat barbecue?'" Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. In Oklahoma County, there are 500 unsolved murders, some dating by to the 1950s. Mar 23rd David Lewis, Unsolved Murder from Oklahoma in 2017. In February, a prominent Idabel man was slain during a home invasion, and last weekend, an Arkansas man was stabbed to death in an apparent bar fight. Shakur was shot multiple times in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas in 1996, which led to his death six days later. All of the accounts are somber, yet fascinating for their largely forgotten historical significance. Above all else, they accumulate into a larger theme and the reason why people seek to kill journalists fear. He can be reached by email at wcarpenter@wyomingnews.com or by phone at 307-633-3135. The museum featured a room lined with every Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph, an archive of authentic newspapers containing articles of events from the end of the Civil War and the sinking of the Titanic, to the assassination of president John F. Kennedy and the Boston Marathon bombing. WebWJ Edwards 2-15-39, Convicted of Murder Story 1: Two Are Held in City Death, Shots Blamed on Robbery Fear Two men were held in the city jail Monday and funeral arrangements completed for a third as the aftermath of a shooting Sunday night in a one-room house at 129 West Chickasaw Avenue, Services for [] If youre interested in true crime, most likely you may also be Just before 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, a passerby called Apply for or renew a handgun license? This weekend, Kevin Hawkins was murdered in the parking lot of the Lewiston Apartments at 51st Street and Lewis Avenue. Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Kirkbride, a former Wyoming rancher who died recently, will be honored through the work and performances of regional poets, including two cowboy poets. Phil Bacharach, a spokesman for Attorney General Gentner Drummond, said the agency had received an audio recording and is investigating the incident, but declined to comment further. Apr. IDABEL McCurtain County's state-leading homicide rate shows no signs of slowing down. The cover of "Facing September," a murder mystery based on the case of Kelly Lynn Albright's murder. If it was back in the day, when Alan Marston would take a damn Black guy and whoop their ass and throw him in the cell? Manning then responds and mentions Chris by name. The McCurtain Gazette reported that the new audio includes more talk of harming journalists, as well as discussion of intimidating the local prosecutor. The prime suspect in the unsolved murder of E.C. The conversation began with the officials discussing a house fire that took place on March 2, which claimed the life of 43-year-old Dannette Stoewe. 20It's hard to sit at my desk and contain my emotions as I watch the story unfold out of McCurtain County, Oklahoma. Joking doesnt excuse that.. For music fans, The Lincoln Theatre is hosting its second installment of the Local Music Showcase series. The country has seen that truth and responded accordingly. Mar 23rd Rhea Ochoa, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Phone Numbers 863 Phone Numbers 863647 Phone WebThe Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is working a number of murders in rural parts of Oklahoma and many remain unsolved. One event that lies close to my own heart was the killing of civilian journalist Paul Guihard in Oxford, Mississippi, when he was working as a photojournalist during James Meredith's integration to the then-racially segregated University of Mississippi. Well, It's not like that nomore," Clardy responds. Jarrod Ramos killed five employees of The Capital Gazette in Annapolis because the paper had published a story about his guilty plea in a criminal harassment case in 2011. More than 100 people gathered outside the McCurtain County Courthouse in Idabel on Monday, with many of them calling for the sheriff and other county officials to resign. Another great resource is Project: Cold Case, who, in partnership with the Murder Accountability Project, produced a comprehensive list of all of the unsolved homicides in each state from 1980-2019. According to this list, there were around 11,922 murders in Oklahoma during that nearly 40-year time frame. That figures to 20.5 homicides per 100,000 population, easily the highest rate in the state. Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles was arrested and charged with German's murder, for which he will stand trial on Nov. 6. Before I was a journalist, or even passionate about journalism, the Newseum had a role in showing me the impact that the profession can make on the world. According to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Allen Shaw, 89, and Randy Sander, 65, have been charged with Second Degree Murder and Arson in connection to Stoewe's death. There is simply no place for such hateful rhetoric in the state of Oklahoma, especially by those that serve to represent the community through their respective office., The McCurtain Gazette-News released portions of an audio recording following a March 6 county commission meeting in which Clardy, Manning and Jennings appear to discuss reporters Bruce and Chris Willingham. The weekend concludes with the long-awaited Alan Kirkbride Memorial Poetry Gathering at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum. In the recording, Clardy said authorities wrapped her body in tinfoil to preserve it, then Jennings asked if "she'd come apart?" Unidentified Persons - Oklahoma Cold Cases Unidentified Persons are organized by county. McCurtain County deputies investigating deadly shooting, Thousands without power in Shreveport-Bossier after bush hog hits pole. Ian Henry, I am both appalled and disheartened to hear of the horrid comments made by officials in McCurtain County," Stitt said in a statement. Well, I couldn't find the answer to the first question, though I did gather that it's over 40 individuals. PEOPLE has reviewed the audio, but is unable to independently verify the speakers. Kevin Stitt is calling for the resignations of four officials in southeast Oklahoma after a newspaper's audio recording apparently captured some of them talking of knowing hit men and complaining about two of the paper's journalists. "A lot of our violence statistics are related to poverty, so some of this may be related to income levels, some of it may be related to gun ownership.". Four days after Kelly Lynn Albright disappeared from her family's home, she was found dead in a field. The most prominent of these killings were five Vietnamese-American journalists Tried Le, Nhan Wrong Do, Tap Van Pham, Nguyen Dam Phong and Duong Trong Lam. In a Monday evening statement, the sheriff's office claimed the recording was "illegally obtained." Authorities say the victim, who appeared to have died from multiple gunshot wounds, is a 46-year-old man from Oklahoma. Commanding the majority of the weekend is the Cheyenne Gaming Convention, beginning Friday afternoon. A southeast Oklahoma newspaper has released the full audio recording it captured of county officials talking about killing journalists and lynching Black people. WebSome of the oldest unsolved murders on Uncovered s cold case website include the 1960 murder of Nancy Eagleson, the 1977 murder of Ann Harmeier, the 1977 murder of Jennings tells Clardy and Manning I know where two deep holes are dug if you ever need them, and the sheriff responded, I've got an excavator., Jennings also said he's known two or three hit men in Louisiana, adding "they're very quiet guys., In the recording, Jennings also appears to complain about not being able to hang Black people, saying: They got more rights than we got.. "Yeah, but here's the reality," Manning responds. German had published a series of articles reporting on "claims of bullying, hostility and mismanagement at the Clark County's public administrator's office," wrote the Review-Journal. Meanwhile, over at the Historic Atlas Theatre, Cheyenne Little Theatre Players is spearheading two nights of Silent Movies at the Atlas. All rights reserved. The state average was 7.8. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? So, while the world seems to become an increasingly dangerous place, you can find solace in knowing that there's plenty of opportunity to escape this weekend with some local events for all interests. According to the McCurtain Gazette-News, the story published over the weekend is the first in a planned series. Five hours later, jurors came back into court with the If you would like to look further into the number of murders in Oklahoma by year, you may visit the websites of many local, state, and federal law enforcement organizations, who often times publish comprehensive reports with more information about the crimes committed in that area over specific time frames. Obviously, racist and violent ideologies can be found in any barbershop, diner, bar or closed circle, but it's a scary thing to see not just as a journalist, but as a human being who was hoping that such recourse among leadership in America had been overcome. [A deputy] goes, 'No, what?' Kevin Stitt said in a statement to the Associated Press. Apr 14th Oswald Bear, Missing from Manitoba since 1969. "I am both appalled and disheartened to hear of the horrid comments made by officials in McCurtain County," Oklahoma Gov. Adair County Alfalfa County Atoka County Beaver County Beckham County Blaine County Bryan County Caddo County Canadian County Carter County Cherokee County Choctaw County s The event is a public plant swap and $50 "Plantiness Workshop," presented by Sunshine, Flydragon Art Studio, Cheyenne Botanic Gardens and Rooted in Cheyenne, among others. "There is simply no place for such hateful rhetoric in the state of Oklahoma, especially by those that serve to represent the community through their respective office. "They don't have a G-- d--- clue what they're getting into," Jennings says. Stoewe and her two dogs perished in the fire, which was allegedly set by two men. "We've got her on the Web site, we've got her on The McCurtain Gazette-News, a print-only newspaper, released portions of the audio recording and a transcription along with the front-page expos over the weekend. Girl, Caretaker Accused of Killing 4-Year-Old on Christmas, Missing Texas Woman Is Found Dead After Planning to Confront Boyfriend About Him Being Married, released portions of the audio recording and a transcription, County Commissioner for District 2 since November 2020, the Oklahoma Sheriffs' Association announced. It ranks second in firearm deaths on a per capita basis, behind Cimarron County and ahead of Jefferson County. Clardy said, "So we get her in the body bag and Kyler goes, 'You do know what we gotta do now, right?' "I've been in this office since 1988 and it's so much busier than it has ever been. As a highly publicized case in 2018, it's best to read about it on your own. Jennings then brings up the idea of hitmen, saying, "I've known two or three hitmen, they're very quiet guys and would cut no f-----g mercy.". The common thread among this memorial and the accounts listed above is that journalists have, and will continue to face the ultimate repercussion for reporting on individuals abusing their power. Chaz Bearshield, Unsolved Murder from Oklahoma in 2012. Apr 14th Vincent Gorman, Missing from Arizona since 2004. Rhea Ochoa, Missing from Arizona since 1997. "Take them down to Mud Creek and hang them up with a damn rope. Apr 12th Michael Franklin, Missing from Alaska since 1977. And what was their story? 20It's hard to sit at my desk and contain my emotions as I watch the story unfold out of McCurtain County, Oklahoma. The worst year for McCurtain County's per capita income for 2001 was $18,803, which ranked 55th in Oklahoma, according to state Commerce Department statistics. Earlier today, April 30, 2021, two arrest warrants for murder were obtained for James Henry Elrod III. His name has not been released at this time. I'd run for f-----g sheriff.". Gov. IDABEL - A McCurtain County jury has found a 19-year-old guilty of murdering two Wright City men and has recommended two death sentences. Saturday morning is the Earth Day Extravaganza at Sunshine Plant Co. The Oklahoma Sheriffs' Association announced that Sheriff Kevin Clardy, Sheriff's Investigator Alicia Manning and Trust Administrator Larry Hendrix have been suspended from the association. Oklahoma Serial Killers. The threats directed at the reporters of the McCurtain Gazette-News, a paper with no online outlet serving a county of roughly 30,000 people, are evidence that this is still a very possible outcome. The number of journalists who have been attacked or threatened is even larger. On Wednesday morning, Jennings resigned from his position as commissioner, News 9 reports. Change my address on my handgun license? Unsolved Mccurtain County Murders. I clearly remember watching a family of tourists search for the restrictions in their home country, then responding with a plain "Oh ". Girl, 2, Was Carried Out of House by Mom While 'Asleep or Unconscious' Before Vanishing, Oklahoma Man Gets Life in Prison for Murders, Including Cutting Out and Cooking Woman's Heart, 3 Dead, 3 Injured After Shooting Involving 'Several Biker Gangs' at Oklahoma Bar: Police, Family Says Black Man Was Found Decapitated in Mississippi, Believes He Was Targeted by 'Lynch Mob', 7 Virginia Deputies Charged in Death of Man Who Was Allegedly 'Smothered' in Custody, Tornadoes in 3 States Leave 1 Dead and Nearly a Dozen Injured: 'Praying for Oklahomans Impacted', Missing Woman Found Possibly Dismembered in Texas; Suspect Allegedly Searched 'How to Be a Serial Killer', Authorities Identify Remains as Missing Athena Brownfield 2 Weeks After Sister Was Found Wandering Alone, Pa. Police Arrest 'Supposed' Friend, Business Partner in Death of Mom Found in Shallow Grave, Texas Woman Charged After Husband Dies of 'Suspicious Illness,' Previously Investigated in Ex-Husband's Death, Everything to Know About Philadelphia Eagles Player Josh Sills and His Legal Controversies, Texas Man Accused of Murdering Girlfriend Who Planned to Confront Him About Being Married, Remains Found amid Search for Missing Okla. MCCURTAIN COUNTY, Okla. (KTAL/KMSS) There are new details in the arrest of a McCurtain County man, The whole conversation seemed deplorable, Senat said. A spokeswoman for the FBIs office in Oklahoma City said the agencys policy is not to confirm or deny any ongoing investigation. I was shocked as I assume most people were not only about the comments about journalists, but the racist comments regarding African Americans. Gov. Jennings, who has been County Commissioner for District 2 since November 2020, started to discuss people wanting to run for sheriff. Follow him on Twitter @will_carp_. Mar 23rd. All my life, we've always said we don't get enough recognition in southeast Oklahoma, Dempsey said. The three day event, covered previously in the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, gives attendees the chance to frolic through any and every variation of game for the entirety of the convention's run. (Marston was the McCurtain County Sheriff in the 1980s, according to The Oklahoman. Editors note: Over 20 years, from 2000 to 2019, there were 4,177 murders in Oklahoma, according to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. Jurors deliberated about two hours late Tuesday before finding Michael Delozier guilty of two counts of first-degree murder. The county has experienced five homicides in the last five months. Its most notable towns include Idabel (population 7,040), Broken Bow (4,280), Wright City (860) and Valliant (780). 6 Disturbing Unsolved Mysteries In Oklahoma That Will Leave You Baffled 1. There was an interactive map covering press laws throughout the world. Mar 24th. After the paper released the audio, protests began outside of the Board of County Commissioners office. The county also is a state leader in deaths and injuries by firearms. Apr 11th OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma's governor is seeking the resignation of four county officials after a newspaper's audio recording apparently captured some of them complaining about two of the paper's journalists and knowing hit men and where two holes are dug. "McCurtain County is always at the top, if not No. "I don't know what the answer is.". Their threats include lynching, burning and burying the reporters, of which the members joke that said graves are ready to be dug with one of the speakers' excavator. The first known journalist to be killed for their work on U.S. soil was Elijah Parish Lovejoy, who was murdered by a pro-slavery mob in 1837 for supporting the abolition of slavery. In December a man was charged in the death of a 12-year-old girl who disappeared in 1999, and Sanders said another 8-month-old homicide was solved a few weeks ago. Apr. During the ensuing discussion, her wrapped remains were compared to barbecued food. Later in the recording which the McCurtain Gazette-News says was legally obtained because the recording was taken at a public meeting the conversation took another disturbing turn. Joey Senat, a journalism professor at Oklahoma State University, said he was shocked to hear the comments made in the recording, especially in light of recent killings of journalists in the U.S., including the arrest last year of a Las Vegas-area elected official accused of fatally stabbing a veteran newspaper reporter who had been investigating him. This is in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains in Eastern Oklahoma. When reached by phone, the McCurtain County Sheriff's Office declined to provide a comment to PEOPLE but said that the FBI is now investigating the recording. Oklahoma's southeastern-most county recorded 71 homicides from 1992 to 2001, according to figures released recently by the state Health Department.